The present invention relates generally to a scale for weighing bulk material being delivered to a consumer and, more particularly, to a scale that can be mounted on the rear of a truck that delivers the bulk material to the consumer.
The delivery of loose material, such as loose salt, to consumers need to be weighed before delivery so that the consumer is charged for the appropriate amount of material being delivered for consumption. Weighing the loose material can be accomplished in a number of different ways, most typically by weighing the truck and contents before and after delivery of the loose material to register the difference which would correspond to the amount of material being delivered. Alternatively, the loose material can be independently weighed before placement into the truck for delivery.
Absent individual storage compartments within the delivery truck to store pre-measured discrete quantities of the loose material, the above-described methods of weighing the loose material are not conducive to making multiple deliveries with a single truck load of loose material. Certification of scales that are mounted on trucks for use in measuring the weight of loose material being dispensed is, at best, difficult to obtain. Without proper leveling and zeroing of the scale, accurate weight measurements cannot be obtained.
Furthermore, the dispensing of loose material at a consumers place of business needs to be accomplished as quickly as possible so as not to disrupt the customer's business or obstruct the place of business. No known scale mechanism that would be suitable for use in measuring the weight of loose material being dispensed would be capable of quickly weighing and then dispensing the loose material.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a scale mechanism that could be mounted on a truck for delivering loose material to a consumer's place of business and used to weigh and quickly dispense loose material being dispensed from the delivery truck.